Musée de l'Image

What Musée de l'Image does

The museum's core technology consists of the Actimuséo internal collections management database (covering popular images and contemporary art) and the Webmuseo online portal that exposes the 110,000+ digitised images for public and researcher consultation. A documentation centre houses 6,500+ reference works, ~1,400 articles and offprints, 2,000+ artwork files, and 355 object files, accessible via the BMI Épinal library catalogue. Educational resources include the Mallettes hors les murs — free-loan thematic pedagogical kits covering topics such as image awakening, comic-book origins, wolves, and news images — distributed to schools and medico-social establishments across the region. The technology stack is conservative heritage-sector tooling without disclosed AI, automation, or platform-licensing components.

The museum's commercial revenue streams are: (1) ticket sales (€6.50 full / €5 reduced / €11 family / €5 group), with free admission for under-18s, students to 26, RSA/ASPA beneficiaries, disabled visitors, and Épinal school groups; (2) guided-tour and workshop fees (€2/person adult supplement, €1/student); (3) structured experiences including the €56 escape game "La typographe amnétique" (3-6 players, ages 14+); (4) publication sales via the on-site shop and mail order under the Éditions du musée imprint (30+ catalogues); (5) association membership through the Association des Amis des Musées et de la BMI, which subsidises acquisitions and restorations; and (6) Museums-PASS-Musées annual pass sales (€129/€119 from January 2026) granting access to 320 European sites. The core operating subsidy and acquisition funding come from the Ville d'Épinal, DRAC Lorraine, and FRAM, reflecting the museum's status as a public cultural institution rather than a commercial enterprise.

Name

Musée de l'Image

Legal name

Ville d'Épinal

Website

https://museedelimage.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Musée de l'Image is a municipal museum in Épinal, France, dedicated to popular imagery and labelled "Musée de France." It preserves over 110,000 images from the 16th century to the present and serves individual visitors, schools, researchers, and tourists through exhibitions, educational kits, and events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Heritage Museum & Cultural Institution

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Museums (712110)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Museums (e.g., Maritime, Aviation, Sports, Music, Film) (THAJADAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit) (THAJADAH)

Keywords

• Popular imagery museum
• Cultural heritage preservation
• Museum exhibitions
• Educational museum programs
• French print art

Headquarters

HQ city

Épinal

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Individual and group admission fees for museum entry and special exhibitions
2. Publication Sales: Sale of exhibition catalogs and books documenting the museum's research on images and collections
3. Membership/Donations: Association des Amis des Musées membership supporting museum acquisitions and restorations
4. Pedagogical Services: Fees for guided tours, workshops, escape games, and educational activities for groups and individuals
5. Museums-PASS-Musées: Annual pass sales providing access to 320 sites in France, Switzerland, and Germany

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Musée de l'Image operates a municipal museum in Épinal, France, dedicated to the preservation and exhibition of popular imagery from the 16th century to the present day. It maintains a permanent collection of more than 110,000 images, hosts approximately two temporary exhibitions per year, and delivers guided tours, workshops, escape games, pedagogical kits, publications, and a documentation center open to the public.

Product overview

The Musée de l'Image is a municipal museum in Épinal, France, dedicated to popular imagery and labelled 'Musée de France'. Its offering consists of a permanent exhibition (Image des images, 400 m²) presenting over 110,000 conserved images, alongside approximately two temporary exhibitions per year featuring artists such as Frans Masereel and Hermann-Paul. The museum supplements its exhibitions with educational programmes including youth tools (exploration notebooks, pedagogical files), loanable off-site educational kits (Mallettes hors les murs), and a documentation centre with over 6,500 reference works. Visitor engagement is further supported by structured visit formulas (guided tours, workshops), an immersive escape game (La typographe amnésique), typography workshops, Sunday events, and summer holiday programmes. The museum publishes exhibition catalogues and books under its 'Éditions du musée' imprint, and provides online access to digitised collections via Webmuseo. A Museums-PASS-Musées is also sold, granting holders access to over 320 museums across France, Switzerland, and Germany.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Musée de l'Image Permanent Exhibition (Image des images) Permanent exhibition space of 400 m² presenting the history of popular imagery from the 17th century to the present, exploring themes such as edification, play, education, and commerce, with approximately 500 images on display.
• Temporary Exhibitions Rotating temporary exhibitions held approximately twice per year, featuring artists and themes related to popular imagery, satire, and printmaking (e.g., Frans Masereel, Hermann-Paul).
• La typographe amnésique (Escape Game) Immersive escape game set in the Jean-Paul Marchal typography workshop where teams of 3–6 participants (ages 14+) help an amnesiac typographer complete a print job within 1 hour, priced at €56 per session.
• Visit Formulas (Guided Tours and Workshops) Structured visitor programs including self-guided visits, guided tours with a mediator, and combined guided tour plus hands-on workshop sessions, with durations ranging from 30 minutes to 1 hour per activity.
• Documentation Centre Public-facing documentation centre open by appointment, housing over 6,500 reference works, approximately 1,400 articles and offprints, periodicals, around 2,000 artwork documentation files, 355 object files, and museum history archives, accessible via the BMI Épinal catalogue.
• Museum Editions (Catalogues and Publications) Over 30 exhibition catalogues and publications documenting research on popular imagery, including works on the Épinal Treasure, fashion imagery, optical games, comic origins, wolves, and shadows, sold on-site and by mail order.
• Online Collections (Webmuseo) Online access to over 110,000 popular images dating from the 16th century to the present, with searchable artwork files and object documentation, provided through the Webmuseo platform.
• Museums-PASS-Musées Annual Pass Annual multi-museum pass effective January 2026, priced at €129 (full) or €119 (reduced) for one adult plus up to five children under 18, granting free access to over 320 member sites in France, Switzerland, and Germany.
• Mallettes hors les murs (Off-site Educational Kits) Loanable educational kits titled 'Les leçons de choses' covering themes such as image awakening (ages 3–5), vegetable gardens, comic origins, living together, monsters, museum behind-the-scenes, news images, wolves, and reminiscence, available free of charge to schools and institutions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 23,000 annual visitors (2023)
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Ville d'ÉpinalflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe museum is a municipal museum managed by the City of Épinal. The city owns and operates the museum as part of its cultural infrastructure, providing funding and administrative support.
• Direction régionale des Affaires culturelles de Lorraine (DRAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 1977, the Ministry of Culture's regional directorate supports museum actions including exhibitions, artwork restoration, acquisition policies, and digitization programs.
• Imagerie d'ÉpinalflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocated beside the museum, the historic Imagerie d'Épinal (est. 18th century, still active) allows visitors to discover printing techniques. Together with the museum, they form the Cité de l'Image.
• Association des Amis des Musées et de la BMIcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupports museums for artwork purchases or restorations, organizes events like Nuit des Étudiants and Journée des enfants. Offers members reduced rates, guided tours, conferences, and cultural trips.
• École supérieure d'Art de Lorraine (E.S.A.L.)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudents participate in museum projects, work on exhibition design, and present their work during monographic exhibitions. Close thematic connection between popular image and contemporary art school.
• Conservatoire Gautier d'ÉpinalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMuseum and conservatory combine competencies for joint events including concerts during À vendredi midi cycles, Nuit des Étudiants, and Journée des enfants.
• Bibliothèque Multimédia Intercommunale Épinal/Golbey (BMI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic library accessible to all with both heritage collections and multimedia technologies. Museum documentation catalog is available through BMI catalog.
• Scènes VosgesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLive performance venue network covering theatre, dance, circus, French song, and youth programming. Museum of Image occasionally hosts events for this network.
• FRAC Lorraine (49 NORD 6 EST)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional Fund for Contemporary Art established 1984, located in Metz. Participates in experimental art projects and thematic exhibitions.
• Musée Départemental d'Art Ancien et ContemporaincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHolds exceptional collections in ancient painting and contemporary art. Maintains convention with museum; museum holds deposited image collection. Connected each summer via Chemin des Images outdoor art walk.
• Inspection de l'Éducation nationalecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEnables museum to inform all department schools of activities. Museum also hosts teacher training sessions. Distributes museum documentation to classes upon request.
• Offices du Tourisme d'ÉpinalminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional tourism offices provide visitor information, reservations, and stay organization services.
• La Lune en ParachuteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContemporary art exhibition space managed by two associations, promoting contemporary art in the region.
• Master Interactivité et Nouvelles ImagesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic program collaboration for student projects and research in interactive and new media.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cité de la Bande Dessinée et de l'Image: French museum in Angoulême dedicated to comics and visual narrative imagery. Most direct peer: comparable size, French municipal backing, similar educational mission and focus on a specialised image-based niche rather than fine art.
• Bibliothèque Forney: Parisian decorative arts library housing extensive image, print, and graphic arts collections. Directly comparable as a research-oriented institution focused on visual heritage collections, accessible to public for documentation and consultation.
• Musée de l'Impression sur Étoffes: Specialised printing museum in Mulhouse focused on textile printing heritage. Highly comparable as a regional French museum preserving the history of printing/image production techniques, with similar revenue model (admissions + workshops) and curatorial scope.

Broad incumbents

• Centre Pompidou: France's flagship modern and contemporary art institution with significant holdings of prints, posters, and graphic arts. Comparable in housing important graphic/imaged-based collections but operates at far larger scale and broader audience.
• Musée des Beaux-Arts de Dijon: Major regional fine arts museum housed in the Palace of the Dukes of Burgundy. Comparable as a municipal museum in a smaller French city with diverse collections, education programmes, and shop/publication revenue.
• Victoria and Albert Museum: London's leading museum of art and design with extensive holdings of prints, posters, and popular imagery. Internationally comparable for its curatorial interest in popular and printed imagery, though far larger in scale and reach.
• Musée des Arts Décoratifs (MAD Paris): Major Parisian decorative and applied arts museum holding significant print and image collections. Comparable subject matter (printed/popular imagery) but operates at much greater scale and broader curatorial scope than the Épinal museum.
• LaM – Lille Métropole Musée d'art moderne, contemporain et d'art brut: Regional modern and contemporary art museum in Villeneuve-d'Ascq. Comparable as a French regional museum combining permanent and temporary exhibitions, educational programming, and publication activity, though broader in scope.

Emerging players

• Musée de l'Affiche et de la Communication (Musée de la Publicité): Thematic French museum focused on advertising and poster imagery. Conceptually adjacent as a museum dedicated to a specific genre of printed visual communication, though typically smaller in collection scale and visitor base.

Regional players

• Musée de la Piscine: Regional museum in Roubaix combining industrial heritage, fine arts, and applied collections. Comparable as a regional French museum in a smaller city, with similar hybrid offering of exhibitions, educational services, and event programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCDpHtx01J7blOfWw-jfQRPQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/museedelimage
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/museedelimage

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Musée de l'Image